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**Adelie** · 11-04-2019, 11:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Sea

If you are looking at other boats besides MacGregor, you should take a look at a Hunter 26. There are some different models. Mine has a center board that raises into a very short keel plus water ballast. This makes it trailerable if you have a vehicle with good stout suspension. Compared to a keel boat, it rides much lower on the trailer and can float in less than 2 feet of water. When you pull it out of the water you can open a drain and empty 1000 pounds of water ballast out of it. When you get to the next lake or sea, the water ballast is readily available.

It can sleep 4 adults or 4 adults and 2 kids if you really want to fill a boat that full. It has an enclosed head and a very simple galley. The cockpit is huge. For day sailing I've taken 10-12 people on occasion. A 10-15 hp motor would be ideal. You might be able to use up to a 25 hp outboard.

You can find some older ones in the 10k range, but you might have to drive a good distance to get it.

4600lb. With gear and trailer 6,000 or more.
9’ beam is doable but present highway regulatory issues.

TedCG1 · 11-04-2019, 12:27

Take a look at Nimble 25, the Arctic or Kodiak. The centerboard models are fairly easy to launch and retrieve. Trailers well, and designed by Ted Brewer for use in your neck of the woods. You probably won't find a decent one at $10K, though.

john61ct · 11-04-2019, 12:28

Anyone recall like-a-MacX European boat an Aussie recently posted about here?

Sounded like a high quality more true sailboat, and maybe even lighter? But likely not cheaper. . .

Jezzrow22 · 11-04-2019, 14:07

You can have mine, though it needs work, its a 25' Mac on a trailer... the trailer is in good shape but its in Delaware

BugzyCan · 11-04-2019, 14:23

Sounds like a heck of a deal for someone on East Coast. Thanks for the offer Jezzrow22.

Secondshift · 11-04-2019, 14:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jezzrow22

You can have mine, though it needs work, its a 25' Mac on a trailer... the trailer is in good shape but its in Delaware

The Mac 25 is a fun trailer boat but the later models were skimpy on glass and some deform
on their trailers. The earlier Venture models with a side deck ( non walkover) seemed better built.
Our friends had one. They're heavier on the trailer and have less berthing below than the 26C.

Be Free · 11-04-2019, 15:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adelie

I didn’t bother because I didn’t think you’d be interested in going that far.
https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/197...ga-30-3510325/

For the MacGregor it’s going to be right around 3500# with the trailer. Figure another 750-1000 for gear. You can probably get away with that for local use but I’d have the family get the the ramp in a separate car. If you want to go further afield I’d borrow a bigger tow vehicle.

For the C&C you’d need a bigger vehicle anytime you tow, local or long distance.

That's a pretty good estimate. My 26X is 3555# fully loaded including the (aluminum) trailer. That includes a 40hp Honda, 4x6v batteries, food, water, and much more fuel than I've ever needed in a week.

It can be pulled by most full sized vehicles but stopping it without trailer brakes is another matter. I've not yet found a ramp that required 4WD but I've used a few where I would have been a lot less worried if I'd had it.

It's not a great sailboat but it's a very good one. I've sailed mine a couple of thousand miles and motored it a couple of hundred. It's fun, it's flexible (no pun intended) and I've never regretted buying it. You sometimes have to have a thick skin hanging around more traditional sailboats but I've never really been worried about what other people think of my choices and I don't lose any sleep worrying about theirs.

Since the OP was asking about trailerable boats in his size range I assume that he intends to trailer it around. There are not many other boats in this range that are easily trailered and have as much room as the Macs. In the last month I've been in the Gulf of Mexico, an inland lake, and multiple days on the St. Johns River all in the course of two weeks.

The smaller Macs and Ventures are easier to pull and better sailboats but not nearly as comfortable. The Hunter Edge is a nice boat but it is significantly heavier than the 26X or 26M and will require a better tow beast. It also listed for about twice as much when it was new and had a much smaller run. It might be hard to find one. The one time I sailed with one it was slightly faster upwind in 20+ knots than I was in my Mac. Not surprising given his increased ballast and draft.

There are a lot of very good trailerable sailboats in the 22-25' range but they tend to be a bit spartan for long trips. I suspect that is why the OP started at 26'. Everything I looked at that was over 26' was either much heavier or much harder to launch (shoal keel) and required a larger tow vehicle. I'm sure if I missed one someone will mention it. All of them sail better and most of them have more room and are more comfortable than the Mac. I can't say I was not tempted, but in the end ease of trailering and shallow draft were more important to me. YMMV.

NorthCoastJoe · 11-04-2019, 17:51

I have two Macgregor 25, cast iron swing keel boats. I am planning on selling one $2000, or offer I need to sell one this spring. If your interested send me a PM with contact info. and I can send you pictures. Want to keep one for Lake Tahoe.

I customized the trailer by extending the tongue and mounting a fixed ladder on it and set up a mast raising pole that works with the trailer winch. Mast goes up as fast as you can crank the handle, very easy to work with.

Boat is ready to go, keel repainted, new cable, winch, support bolt. Lots of extra stuff if you want it. Fun to sail and easy to put on the water with the set up we have.

The boat weighs 2100 pounds empty. Easy to launch, needs 18" of water with the keel up and 6' with keel down. With the swing keel if you do hit a rock it can pivot up no harm done.

All the sails are the same as the Macgregor 26. Honda 7.5 pushes it nicely and it can take up to 10 HP.

North of San Francisco and might be willing to tow up to BC.

Whgoffrn · 11-04-2019, 18:52

I have a 1999 mac 26x ....you'll hear a lot of bs about how flimsy they are andwill break apart in the first squall I've had mine through many in Florida icw and keys .... I'm sure there are other sturdier boats but none that have the versatility of the mac....I chose the older version with swing keep vs the newer dagger board because I wanted it to swing up if I hit bottom ...also the 26x I believe feels more roomy ...there are many upgrades to the 26x through the years get the later models with the stainless steel rudder brackets they are stronger .....if there is one weakness about Mac's its rudders and brackets .... but with 300 bux you can buy white oak rudders and brackets can be modified as well ..... like I did to mine ... there are many people taking their Mac's all the way to the exumas/bahamas ...tons of mods to do on them over at the mac forum ....the only other boats I would have besides mine are a hobie 33 ....or a corsair f27 ... for now the Florida keys are my stomping grounds and a mac26x is ideal for it.... you can make it off to the reefs ...go in the bay anchor in shallow 2 feet of water and bullynet lobster or park on the sandbar at islamorada...I was the only sailboat at the sandbar because I was the only one who could sit in 1 foot of water. I have solar a fridge generator ac microwave and we camp for weeks on our boat in the keys.... super versatile boat...I've towed it all over the country with an f150 and no trailer brakes just using some common sense and not expecting it to stop on a dime

Our last trip to the keys

https://vimeo.com/282436349

ebsail · 12-04-2019, 02:54

An oday 25 with a deck stepped mast is trailerable although at 5000 lbs plus the trailer, you need a big vehicle to pull it.. This is the cenerboard model which most were.

BugzyCan · 14-04-2019, 17:10

I was looking at a Mac 25 today. The inside of the boat is so tiny, I don't think two adults and two large kids could spend any time sleeping inside it.
The bow beds were very short and it doesn't appear that two could sleep in there comfortably. Lots of room length wise in stern beds though.

One of my kids is rather large around the middle too, so I think the Mac 25 is out. Does the Mac 26 fair better in this regard. It looks that way from pictures.

rbk · 14-04-2019, 18:04

Yes both the X and M’s (two layouts).

hamburking · 14-04-2019, 18:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adelie

Regardless of which boat you get you are going to need a significant tow vehicle. Even pulling it from your house to a local ramp you are going to need a truck.

My daughter bought a SIREN 17 on a trailer, which I can safely pull with my honda fit. However, its only one km to the ramp.

hamburking · 14-04-2019, 18:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by BugzyCan

I was looking at a Mac 25 today. The inside of the boat is so tiny, I don't think two adults and two large kids could spend any time sleeping inside it.
The bow beds were very short and it doesn't appear that two could sleep in there comfortably. Lots of room length wise in stern beds though.

One of my kids is rather large around the middle too, so I think the Mac 25 is out. Does the Mac 26 fair better in this regard. It looks that way from pictures.

I had a tour of the M26 one time and thought it quite spacious below. The double berth under the cockpit was huge!

FWIW, I sailed a C&C25 with the wife and 2 kids when they were small. The kids got the vee berth, and the adults slept on the opposing settees in the main cabin. But when the kids started to grow, we had to move up to a bigger boat.